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Abdominoplasty : Also known as a tummy tuck, abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure in which excess skin and fat in the abdominal area is removed and the abdominal muscles are tightened.
Abdominoplasty Purpose
Abdominoplasty is a cosmetic procedure that treats loose or sagging abdominal skin, leading to a protruding abdomen that typically occurs after significant weight loss. Good candidates for abdominoplasty are individuals in good health who have one or more of the above conditions and who have tried to address these issues with diet and exercise with little or no results. Women who have had multiple pregnancies often seek abdominoplasty as a means of ridding themselves of loose abdominal skin. While in many cases diet and exercise are sufficient in reducing abdominal fat and loose skin after pregnancy, in some women these conditions may persist.
Abdominoplasty is not recommended for women who wish to have further pregnancies, as the beneficial effects of the surgery may be undone. Another common reason for abdominoplasty is to remove excess skin from a person who has lost a large amount of weight or is obese. A large area of overhanging skin is called a pannus. Older patients are at an increased risk of developing a pannus because skin loses elasticity as one ages.
Problems with hygiene or wound formation can result in a patient who has multiple hanging folds of abdominal skin and fat. If a large area of excess tissue is removed, the procedure is called a panniculectomy. In some instances, abdominoplasty is performed simultaneously or directly following gynecologic surgery such as hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). One study found that the removal of a large amount of excess abdominal skin and fat from morbidly obese patients during gynecologic surgery results in better exposure to the operating field and improved wound healing.
Abdominoplasty Contraindications
Certain patients should not undergo abdominoplasty.
Poor candidates for the surgery include:
? Women who wish to have subsequent pregnancies.
? Individuals who wish to lose a large amount of weight following surgery.
? Patients with unrealistic expectations (those who think the surgery will give them a perfect figure).
? Those who are unable to deal with the post-surgical scars.
? Patients who have had previous abdominal surgery.
? Heavy smokers.
Abdominoplasty Demographics
According to the American Academy of Plastic Surgeons, in 2001 there were approximately 58,567 abdominoplasties performed in the United States, relating to 4% of all plastic surgery patients and less than 0.5% of all plastic surgery procedures. Female patients accounted for 97% of all abdominoplasties.
Most patients were between the ages of 35 and 50 (58%), with patients under 35 accounting for 20% and patients over 50 accounting for 22%. Eighty-two percent of all plastic surgery patients during 2001 were white, 7% were Hispanic, 5% were African American, and 5% were Asian American.
Abdominoplasty Costs
Because abdominoplasty is considered to be an elective cosmetic procedure, most insurance policies will not cover the procedure, unless it is being performed for medical reasons (for example, if an abdominal hernia is the cause of the protruding abdomen). A number of fees must be taken into consideration
when calculating the total cost of the procedure. Typically, fees include those paid to the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, and the facility where the surgery is performed. If liposuction or breast surgery is to be performed, additional costs may be incurred. The average cost of abdominoplasty is $6,500, but may range from $5,000 - 9,000, depending on the surgeon and the complexity of the procedure.
Abdominoplasty Alternatives
Before seeking abdominoplasty, an individual will want to be sure that loose and excess abdominal skin and fat cannot be decreased through a regimen of diet and exercise. Abdominoplasty should not be viewed as an alternative to weight loss. In fact, some doctors would suggest that a patient be no more than 15% over his or her ideal body weight in order to undergo the procedure. Liposuction is a surgical alternative to abdominoplasty. There are several advantages to liposuction. It is less expensive (an average of $2,000 per body area treated compared to $6,500 for abdominoplasty). It also is associated
with a faster recovery, a need for less anesthesia, a smaller rate of complications, and significantly smaller incisions. What liposuction cannot do is remove excess skin. Liposuction is a good choice for patients with localized deposits of fat, while abdominoplasty is a better choice for patients with excess abdominal skin and fat.
Sponsor
There are so many cosmetic surgeons out there to choose from. www.PlasticSurgeryPortal.com can guide you to a plastic surgeon near your home. You can also explore your plastic surgery options, if your desire is a tummy tuck or liposuction do all your cosmetic surgery research at Plastic Surgery Portal.
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